Intro to Surface Area (rectangular prism)

Author:Karla Ess, Tim Brzezinski, Dan Dale

Surface Area of Rectangular Prisms

STUDENTS:

Interact with the applet below for a minute or two. After doing so, please answer the questions that follow.

Create a rectangular prism that has a length = 4 units, width = 5 units, and height = 3 units.

1.

How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 pink face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 gold face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 white face?

2.

Use your answers for (1) to determine the TOTAL SURFACE AREA of this rectangular prism. That is, how many square units, or squares, cover the ENTIRE SURFACE of this rectangular prism?

Now create a rectangular prism that has a length = 8 units, width = 3 units, and height = 5 units.

3.

How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 pink face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 gold face? How many square units (i.e. "squares") appear on 1 white face?

4.

Use your answers for (3) to determine the TOTAL SURFACE AREA of this rectangular prism. That is, how many square units, or squares, cover the ENTIRE SURFACE of this rectangular prism?

Intro to Surface Area (rectangular prism)

STUDENTS:

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